In 2006 it was described by Reuters as one of the handful of studios that dominate the U.S. porn industry.[3] It is based in Los Angeles, California. Founder Steven Hirsch is co-chairman, along with Bill Asher, who is also a co-owner.[4]

The following is a list of notable Vivid actresses known as Vivid Girls during the first twenty-five years of Vivid.[5] The most recent Vivid Girl, Allie Haze, terminated her contract with Vivid in 2012. [6]

Vivid also runs several websites, including Vivid.com, featuring its Vivid Girls. These websites prominently promote the "Vivid Girls" and their various videos. The sites also allow users to view scenes from various Vivid productions, as well as Internet-only content.

The company also has marketing and licensing programs for Vivid branded vodka, condoms, snowboards, skateboards, tee shirts, playing cards, advertising, calendars, comic books and book publishing. How to Have a XXX Sex Life: The Ultimate Vivid Guide,[7] was co-authored by several Vivid Girls and published by HarperCollins.

The 2004 documentary series "Porno Valley" followed Vivid Girls and Vivid Entertainment.

Vivid produces over 60 titles a year. The company has a small number of high budget movies that it produces and aggressively markets. This is different from many other San Fernando Valley production companies, which routinely film, edit and release a two-hour title in less than a week, spending relatively little on advertising or promotion. According to Forbes magazine Vivid's annual revenue is estimated to be $100 million USD.[8] The same estimate was given by Business Week in June 2006.[9] However, Vivid also aggressively repackages its original material in compilations, which are relatively inexpensive to produce. Forbes also reported that approximately one third of all the titles sold in U.S. adult DVD stores are Vivid films.

Its titles are sold through retail stores across the United States, the rental market and direct to consumers through various online mail-order sites. Vivid also distributes the films to cable and satellite channels and offers its Internet subscribers full access to the largest archive of titles in the adult industry.

In February 2006 Vivid changed its condom-only policy to a condom-optional policy that lets performers decide whether or not to use them.[10][11]

In October 2010, Vivid stopped production as a precaution when an actor tested positive for HIV.[12]

An October 2012 open letter from Steven Hirsch took aim at a Los Angeles County plan that would require performers to wear condoms on set. Hirsch said the proposal would be costly and ineffective and was an example of unnecessary government intrusion into private bedrooms.[13]

In February 2006 Vivid made its foray into alt-porn with the signing of director Eon McKai and the formation of the Vivid-Alt imprint.[14] Vivid-Alt in turn hired erotic photographers—Dave Naz and Octavio "Winkytiki" Arizala[15] to direct features for the imprint.

The first film directed by Eon McKai under that imprint, Girls Lie, was nominated for an AVN Award, one of 13 nominations in 2008 for various Vivid-Alt imprint releases.[16] In 2009 the company won the AVN Award for Best Music Soundtrack for The Bad Luck Betties[17] and in 2010 for the musical soundtrack of Live in My Secrets.[18]

In March 2007 Vivid signed award-winning author, columnist, editor and sex educator Tristan Taormino to head up the Vivid Ed imprint,[19] which has produced several how-to DVD sex guides including The Expert Guide To Sex, The Expert Guide to Oral Sex, Part 1: Cunnilingus, The Expert Guide to Oral Sex, Part 2: Fellatio and The Expert Guide to the G-Spot. In 2010 Vivid Ed's director Tristan Taormino received several AVN Awards as well as the Trailblazer Award from the Feminist Porn Awards in Toronto, Canada on April 9, 2010.[20]

On November 7, 2011 Vivid Entertainment launched its Vivid for Google TV channel as "the first TV app designed to make sexually explicit content available through the new Google TV set-top device." It will broadcast in high definition "award-winning adult movies, celebrity sex tapes, XXX parodies of popular superheroes, educational videos and other content", to who also subscribe to the company's website.[23]

In April 2010, country singer Mindy McCready sent Vivid a cease and desist letter ordering them not to distribute copies of her sex tape.[29][30] Vivid produced proof that it had a signed release form from McCready.[31]

2013 XBIZ Award Nominee - 'Studio of the Year', 'Parody Release of the Year-Comedy' for Star Wars XXX: A Porn Parody; also 'Parody Release of the Year-Drama' for The Avengers XXX: A Porn Parody and The Dark Knight XXX: A Porn Parody. Additional nominations include: 'All-Sex Series of the Year for Brand New Faces, 'Vignette Release of the Year' for Allie Haze: True Sex and Goddess[48]